The Sun Does Heal
by Puppy Dog Love
Summary: Gothel didn't steal the baby right away. She didn't think it was right to steal a child from its parents. But that was before she saw what happened one night.
1. Chapter 1

The queen was very sick. She was nearly dead when they found the magic flower. She drank the cure, and was healed.

But they didn't know that the flower belonged to someone, someone named Gothel. The baby was born a few months later, and all seemed well.

Gothel sneaked into the castle that night, and saw that the baby had long, golden hair. She began singing the magic song. To her delight, the child's hair lit up, and she began getting younger. She took out a pair of scissors, and snipped a lock of hair. But to her horror, it turned brown, and she got old again.

She knew now that the only way to use her flower was through the child without cutting the hair. But she couldn't just take the child.

She grabbed the brown lock of hair that she had cut and sneaked out of the castle. She would be back.

* * *

Every few nights for four years, Gothel would sneak into the castle when everyone was asleep and find the child sleeping. She would sing the magic song, making sure that the princess was actually asleep before, and then leave.

When the child, whose name was Sybil, was almost four years old, the queen had another child. This child, of course, didn't have magic hair. The baby was named Aster.

Miraculously, Sybil's hair had never been cut, except for the small brown lock that Gothel had cut the day of her birth. So Gothel was able to continue using the child's hair.

It was one day, when Sybil was four years old, that Gothel found her bed empty when she came to be healed. She sneaked around the castle, and found that Sybil was in her parents' room. Gothel hid in the shadows as she watched what happened.

* * *

"Mommy, I had a bad dream," cried Sybil.

The queen sat up. "Sybil, go back to bed. You don't want to wake your father."

Sybil sat down on the bed. "But Mommy, I can't go back to bed. It was a really scary dream."

The queen pushed her off gently. "Sybil, you have to go back to bed."

Sybil shook her head. "Mommy, the monsters will get me!"

The king opened his eyes. "What is all this racket?"

The queen gasped. "It's nothing, go back to sleep," she said. She motioned for Sybil to go back to her room.

"I had a bad dream," said Sybil.

The king sat up. "I will not have anyone interrupting my beauty sleep!" he cried. He picked up a big wooden rolling pin that was on his nightstand.

The queen wrapped her arms around Sybil.

But the king gave the rolling pin to the queen. "Hit her," he told her.

The queen shook her head. "I won't hit her."

The king got angry. "Hit her with it or I will hit the baby with it!"

The queen gasped and picked up the baby to protect her. Tears were in her eyes. She could not let him hit the baby. If she hit Sybil, it would hurt her, but the baby was so little that it could be fatal. With tears in her eyes, she hit Sybil with the rolling pin on the wrist.

But that wasn't enough for the king. "That wasn't even hitting, that was just tapping!" he yelled. "Hit her harder!"

The queen hit Sybil harder on the arm, about to cry.

"That's more like it!" the king said. "What are you waiting for? You have to punish her!"

The queen's heart wrenched as she hit the child hard with the rolling pin multiple times. When she had hit Sybil on the cheek, the king smiled, finally satisfied, and walked out of the room.

Sybil was screaming and crying, and her mother, finally able to cry, began weeping too. Bruises began forming on the places where Sybil had been hit, and the queen held her tighter. "I'm sorry, Sybil," cried the queen. "I didn't want to do it."

* * *

Gothel had watched, horrified, as the scene had unfolded. She knew that, if she didn't do something, this would not be the last time something like that happened. In fact, it would probably be only the first of many awful times to come.

She could not let that happen to her flower again. She stepped out of the shadows.

"Who are you?" asked the queen.

Gothel smiled. "I saw the whole thing, and I am here to help."

She went to the child, who by then had terrible purple and green bruises all over. The one on her cheek was especially bad.

She touched the child's hair and began singing the magic song. The child's hair began to glow, and both the queen and the princess watched in wonder. The hair did its magic, and the bruises went away.

"Wow," breathed the queen.

Sybil smiled. "It doesn't hurt anymore!"

Gothel smiled sadly. "I know this won't be the last time something like this happens. I don't want your daughter to keep getting hurt, even though she does have magic hair."

The queen frowned. "What can I do?"

Gothel smiled. "I can take her away, where no one will ever hurt her again."

The queen frowned. It would be very hard to give up her firstborn child. But she couldn't keep letting her get hurt. She squeezed her eyes shut and saw an image of Sybil with bruises all over her body.

"Take her," said the queen. She gave Sybil one last hug, then let go.

Gothel took the child's hand.

"Where are you taking me?" Sybil asked, looking up at Gothel.

Gothel looked at her. "Somewhere your father will never be able to hurt you again."


	2. Chapter 2

Gothel held Sybil in her arms, although the child was quite heavy. They had been walking for hours, and Sybil had gotten tired quickly. So Gothel had picked her up, and she had fallen asleep. This was probably better, actually, because Gothel could walk much faster without Sybil's short legs slowing her down.

They arrived at the tower, finally. It was hidden in a valley with a curtain of leaves hiding the entrance. Gothel climbed the staircase hidden inside, and finally reached the top.

She closed the trapdoor to the stairs, and put a rug over it. Then she finally went to her bed and laid Sybil in the bed.

* * *

Morning came, and the king was livid. He had found that his oldest daughter was missing.

"Where is she?" he screamed at the queen. "Where are you hiding her?" He struck her with his hand.

"I don't know!" cried the queen. "She wasn't in her bed when I woke up!"

"You are lying!" screamed the king. "Tell me where she is!"

The queen held up her hands. "I really don't know!"

The king stormed out of the room.

* * *

Within an hour, all over the kingdom people knew of the missing princess. They even heard that the king was offering a reward for whoever found the princess.

People were searching everywhere. But there was one place they didn't search. Deep in the forest in a hidden valley, the lost princess was just waking up.

* * *

Sybil woke up and was surprised to see that she was in an unfamiliar place. She stood up and looked around. There was a door, and she walked out of it into a different room, where the lady who had taken her away was standing.

"Good morning," said the lady. "I made breakfast for you."

"Where's Mommy?" asked Sybil.

The lady frowned. "We left her back at the castle, remember?"

"Oh yeah," said Sybil. "When are we going to see her?"

The lady looked sad. "I'm sorry, but you can't see her again," she said. "It's too dangerous to go back, and we can't let anyone know where we are. Your father might find out."

Sybil shivered as she thought of her father the night before. He had been mean and bad. She didn't want him to find her.

She looked at the lady again. "Who are you?"

The lady smiled. "You can call me Mother. I'm your new mother now."


	3. Chapter 3

Gothel smiled. The child had taken well to her new life. It had been a few days, and she had already started calling Gothel Mommy. But something was bothering Gothel. It was the child's name. She couldn't keep calling her Sybil. If someone ever found the girl with that name, she would be instantly recognized as the princess.

She had thought about calling her Flower, but that wouldn't be right. Sybil, although she was Gothel's flower, wasn't really a flower. But then Gothel thought of a perfect name. She would call the child Rapunzel.

"Sybil, come here," said Gothel.

Sybil walked over to her. "Yes, Mommy?"

"You are going to have a different name," said Gothel. "Your new name is Rapunzel."

Rapunzel looked at her. "Why, Mommy?"

Gothel frowned. "If someone found you and heard that you were called Sybil, they would take you back to your father."

The child shivered. Then she said, "Okay, my name is Rapunzel now."

* * *

Rapunzel grew older in the tower. Once, she found some paints sitting around in the tower. She picked them up, but she didn't see anywhere that she could paint, except for the bare walls of the tower.

In the castle, she had often drawn suns. She had gotten quite good at it, and she wanted to draw some more. So she went to the wall, opened the yellow paint, and began painting a sun on the wall.

After a little while, Gothel walked by. "What are you doing?" she asked.

Rapunzel dropped the paintbrush, a scared look on her face. She curled up into a ball and said, "I'm sorry! I won't do it again!"

Gothel bent down and gently touched her shoulder. "You're not in trouble, Rapunzel."

Rapunzel had flinched when Gothel had touched her. But she raised her head when she heard that. "Really?"

Gothel nodded. "Really. You can keep painting if you like. I think you did a really good job."

Rapunzel smiled wide. She wrapped her arms around Gothel. "I love you, Mommy!"

Gothel smiled. "I love you too, Rapunzel."

* * *

From that incident, Gothel had realized that what she had seen in the castle wasn't the first time the girl had been hurt by her father, though it might have been the worst. She was always extra gentle with Rapunzel after that, and soon Rapunzel grew into a sweet young woman. After a few years, Rapunzel seemed to have forgotten her old life, and her bad experiences were forgotten with it.

There were still a few things that stuck. Rapunzel had a deep fear of rolling pins, and so Gothel had gotten rid of hers. And she had a tendency to draw suns, though as she got older she forgot the reason why.

Rapunzel had a good life now, and she was happy.


	4. Chapter 4

One thing Gothel had been adamant about, though, was that Rapunzel should never tell anyone about her magic hair. If she did, Gothel said, bad things could happen.

Rapunzel was happy in the tower. She was always busy painting or doing the many other things she could do. She loved to read, too, although she didn't have many books. And she had found a chameleon one day in the tower. She'd named him Pascal and they had become best friends.

Gothel loved the child, though she wasn't exactly a child anymore. She was nearly eighteen now. And although she used Rapunzel's hair to stay young, she had really grown to care about not just the flower, but the girl who held the power.

Rapunzel didn't know her real birthday. The day that Gothel had taken her was her birthday, as far as she knew. And she didn't remember her real family, which was for the best.

Now that she was nearly grown, Gothel had decided that she didn't need to be watched every second, and so she usually left the tower for days at a time. It was on one of these days that something changed Rapunzel's quiet life.

Rapunzel had been getting her frying pan out of the cupboard to make lunch when she heard a sound at her window. Thinking it was Gothel, she ran to the window, still holding the pan.

She got the fright of her life when a strange man climbed into the window! Her first instinct was to whack him with the pan, but something stopped her from doing it. She felt pain on her cheek as if someone had hit her there. But it went away, and she decided not to hit him.

He said, "Alone at last."

Rapunzel looked at the back of his head. "You're not alone," she said. "I live here."

The man freaked out. He turned around and cried, "Don't hit me with that thing!"

"I won't," said Rapunzel. "But you need to tell me what exactly you are doing here."

* * *

The queen sat near the king, pleading with him. "Don't give him the death penalty!"

"Silence!" shouted the king. "He stole the princess Sybil's crown! That should be punished by death!"

"It's only a crown!" cried the queen. "The death penalty is only supposed to be used for terrible crimes!"

"Is stealing my firstborn daughter's crown not a terrible crime?" he yelled.

"If she isn't found by my eighteenth birthday, the crown is mine," said Aster.

The king glared at her, and she shrunk back. "I'm sorry, Father!"

The king pulled back his hand, but the queen stepped in front of her. "Hitting won't solve anything!" she said. "If the criminal is found, he should get a few years in jail, not death!"

The king slapped her across the face. "I am the king! I declare the rules, and I say the death penalty! Now not one word more out of you unless you want me to hit you again!"

The queen quietly walked out of the room, pulling Aster along with her. "It's going to be alright," she said to her daughter.

"Mother, why can't you change the rules?" asked Aster.

The queen frowned. "I'm only the queen. He's the king. His rules are higher than mine."

Aster began to cry.

"Don't cry," said the queen. "When you're queen, you can change the rules. You won't have to make anyone have the death penalty."

* * *

"Well," said the man, "I'm running away from some guys who really don't like me. I thought it would be safe in here, but I didn't expect to find someone inside."

Rapunzel nodded. "So, what's in that bag you have?" she asked.

"It's something really important. I can't let you see it," said the man.

Rapunzel frowned. "My mother will be home in a little bit, and I don't think she'll be happy to find a strange man here," she said. "If you show me what's in the bag, I'll show you the way out of here."

The man gulped. "Okay, but don't take it."

Rapunzel nodded. "I won't."

The man pulled a strange object out of his bag. It was round and had jewels in it. He looked at it and placed it on Rapunzel's head. Then he asked, "What is your name?"

"My name is Rapunzel," she said.

The man frowned. "Not her, then."

Rapunzel looked at him strangely. "Not who?"

He smiled. "Someone you kind of look like. But your name is Rapunzel."

Rapunzel nodded.

"So, you have a father?" he asked.

For some reason, Rapunzel felt a little afraid when she heard the word father. "No," she said. "It's just my mother and me."

"And how old are you?" asked the man.

Rapunzel smiled. "I'm almost eighteen. My birthday is coming soon!"

"I haven't seen you in town before," said the man.

Rapunzel shook her head. "I don't go out. I haven't left this tower since I was four."

The man's eyes widened. "Why not?"

Rapunzel scratched her head. "I don't actually know. I guess I'm not supposed to."

"And what happened when you were four?" asked the man.

Rapunzel smiled. "When I was four, my mother adopted me. I don't remember my real parents."

"That's rough," said the man. "And what's with the super long hair?"

Rapunzel frowned. "I can't tell you that," she said. "You know enough about me already. Here, I'll show you the way out."

She hung her hair over a hook and tossed it out the window. "Climb down my hair!"

"Your hair?" asked the man.

Rapunzel nodded. "That's how my mother gets in and out."

"Is that why you keep it long?" asked the man.

Rapunzel didn't answer, and the man said, "Hey, you still have the crown!" And he took it from her and put it back in his bag.

"You should probably go now," said Rapunzel. "My mother will be back soon."

The man nodded. He climbed down her hair and got to the bottom. "Goodbye, Rapunzel!" he cried before leaving.

"Goodbye!" Rapunzel cried. She waved as he went through the secret exit.

It was only after she had sat down to think about what had happened that she realized she hadn't asked his name.


	5. Chapter 5

After the day the man left the tower, Rapunzel felt something strange. She felt like she missed the man. That was odd. She couldn't remember ever missing someone before, only sometimes her mother when she was away.

But this missing was different. Deeper. Sadder, somehow. She decided that it must be because she might never see him again. This realization made her feel sadder than it should have.

She quickly decided to do something to take her mind off him. She grabbed some paints and began painting the wall. She was soon lost in her work.

But she suddenly realized what she had been painting. She had been painting him! And right in the main room in the tower, too! She quickly put down her paintbrush and looked around. She saw that there was a curtain that could cover the painting, and quickly pulled it over the painting, even though it was still wet.

Rapunzel began to busy herself with something else. She started baking a pie, but her thoughts kept going back to him. She sighed. "Oh Pascal, what do I do?"

Pascal shrugged, and Rapunzel frowned. He was a good friend, but when she needed help, he wasn't someone who could talk to you.

She tried doing more things that she usually did, but they all seemed boring now. Tired of trying not to think of him, she decided that the only thing she could do was to take a nap.

* * *

Rapunzel woke up to a voice calling her name. She realized it was her mother's voice. She sat up and ran to the window. Her mother was down there, and she didn't look too happy.

Rapunzel quickly threw her hair down, and her mother held on to it as she pulled it up. When her mother climbed into the window, she said, "Rapunzel, I've been calling you for at least fifteen minutes. How do you think I'm supposed to get into this tower without you?"

Rapunzel frowned. "I'm sorry, Mother. I was sleeping."

Her mother held out her arms. "I don't like having to talk like this to you. I love you, my flower."

Rapunzel ran into her arms. "I love you too, Mother."

* * *

The days passed too slowly for Rapunzel. She was looking forward to her birthday, but she also caught herself thinking about him too many times. She sighed and tried not to be bored.

Gothel also noticed the change in Rapunzel. She asked if she was getting sick, but Rapunzel said that she wasn't. It was strange to see the usually bubbly, happy girl moping around the tower. Gothel was worried, and she stayed in the tower more than usual to watch Rapunzel and make sure she was alright.

Finally, it was the day before Rapunzel's birthday. Rapunzel was much more like her normal self then, and she kept bouncing around the tower.

"Mother, my birthday is tomorrow!" Rapunzel cried. "I'm so excited!"

Gothel smiled. "I know," she said. "I have a surprise for you, but you'll have to wait until tomorrow."

Rapunzel was very happy. She kept wondering what the surprise was. How could she wait until tomorrow?

* * *

Gothel left the tower after they ate lunch, which was Rapunzel's favorite, hazelnut soup. She told Rapunzel she was going out to get the surprise.

Rapunzel was very excited. She began to paint on her walls. She was painting suns again. She didn't know why she did that so much. She supposed it was because of something that she didn't remember. But she had gotten quite good at it.

Then, she heard a sound. "Rapunzel?"

Her first thought was that her mother was back already. But no, that wasn't her mother's voice. She looked out the window, and there was the man!

How strange, her heart was beating faster than normal. She threw her hair out the window, and shouted, "Climb up!"

The man grabbed onto her hair and began climbing. He was much heavier than her mother, and it put more strain on her head. But soon, he had climbed in the window.

"So, what brings you here?" asked Rapunzel.

The man was out of breath, and he said, "I need a place to hide. I thought of your tower. It's the only place where they won't find me."

Rapunzel smiled, and said, "You can stay here. But my mother will be home tomorrow. You'll have to leave before she gets back."

"Okay," said the man.

Rapunzel remembered that she didn't know his name. "So, what's your name?" she asked, wondering why her cheeks felt hot.

"Rider, Flynn Rider," he said.

"That's a very nice name," said Rapunzel.

Flynn smiled. "Why, thank you."

Pascal, who had been hiding in Rapunzel's hair that whole time, walked out onto her shoulder.

"Rapunzel, there's a lizard on your shoulder," said Flynn.

Rapunzel laughed. "He's not a lizard, he's a chamelion," she said. "And he's my friend. His name is Pascal."

"Do you have any other friends?" asked Flynn.

Rapunzel shook her head. "Unless you count my mother, but I don't know if mothers can be called friends."

"I wouldn't know," said Flynn. "What's your mother like?"

Rapunzel smiled. "She's really nice, and she doesn't usually scold me. She used to be around a lot more, but now that I'm older she leaves more often."

She looked at Flynn, trying to make her cheeks stop feeling hot. "What's your mother like?"

Flynn frowned. "I don't have one. My parents died when I was little. It must be nice to be adopted."

Rapunzel smiled. "It is," she said. Then realizing that what she said might have been mean, she quickly said, "Although there's nothing wrong with not being adopted."

Flynn sighed. "It's not an easy life, being an orphan," he said.

Rapunzel scratched her head. "I wonder if I'm an orphan," she said. "After all, I don't remember my real parents."

"It could be," said Flynn. "That's usually why someone gets adopted."

Rapunzel smiled. Then she frowned. She didn't know what to say. Usually this didn't happen, but for some reason she felt flustered.

Suddenly, she smelled something burning. "Oh no!" she cried. She ran to the oven and quickly turned it off. Then she pulled a pan of burnt cookies out. "I completely forgot about them!"

Flynn looked at the cookies. "Can I have one? I'm starving."

Rapunzel frowned. "They're burnt. Not any good."

Flynn smiled. "That's okay. I really am hungry."

"Well, okay," she said. She didn't have any idea why someone would want burnt cookies, but at least they wouldn't be going to waste.

Flynn took one and bit into it. "Not bad," he said.

Rapunzel smiled. "Well, I'm glad you like them," she said. "I was making them for my mother. She's coming back tomorrow." She'd already told him that, hadn't she? "Tomorrow's my birthday, you know."

"Oh!" said Flynn. "You're turning eighteen, right?"

Rapunzel nodded. She said, "Do you want to help me make some new cookies?"


	6. Chapter 6

The afternoon passed quickly, and it was soon dark. Rapunzel suddenly wondered where Flynn would sleep. He couldn't sleep in her mother's bed, that wouldn't be right. And he couldn't sleep in the same bed as her. People slept in separate beds. Rapunzel was pretty sure that you couldn't sleep in the same bed as someone else.

"Where are you going to sleep?" asked Rapunzel. "I don't have another bed for you."

Flynn smiled and pointed to the soft windowsill. "I can sleep there, if you don't mind."

Rapunzel shook her head. That wouldn't do. "I will sleep there," she said. "You can sleep in my bed."

"Are you sure?" asked Flynn.

Rapunzel nodded.

* * *

She woke up the next morning wondering why she wasn't in her bed. Then she remembered. She jumped up and looked at the clock. It was late! She was sure her mother would be home soon.

"Flynn, Flynn!" she cried.

Flynn walked out of her room, yawning. "Happy birthday, Rapunzel," he said.

Oh yes, it was her birthday! She smiled. "Thanks!"

But then she frowned. "Mother will be home soon," she said. "You'd better go."

Flynn smiled. "Why don't you come along?"

Rapunzel shook her head. "I can't. I'm not supposed to. Besides, Mother can't get in the tower without me here."

"There's really no other way in?" asked Flynn.

Rapunzel said, "Nope."

"I'm sure your mother will figure something out. Besides, you're eighteen now! You can do anything you want to!" Flynn said.

Rapunzel hesitated. She did want to go with him. But could she do it? Something made her feel like she should.

"Okay," she said. "But I need to come back home before tomorrow."

She threw her hair out the window and waited as Flynn climbed down. When he reached the bottom, she looked out. All of a sudden it looked very far down. Could she even do it?

She looked at Pascal, and he made a brave face. Yes, she could.

Rapunzel took a deep breath and jumped, her hair still hanging over the hook. She grabbed hold of her hair and slid down, finally reaching the ground.

She stopped before she touched the ground. She didn't remember what grass felt like, and she stretched one foot down to the ground. She touched the grass with her toes.

Now she remembered the feeling. It was just as soft as it had been fourteen years ago. She wiggled her toes. Then she stepped down with the other foot. It was so wonderful to be touching grass again!

She looked at Eugene, the heat coming to her face again. "This is so fun!" she cried.

He looked at her with a warm smile. "You really like it out here," he said. "Why didn't you leave the tower before?"

Rapunzel smiled. "Simple," she said. "The window is the only way out, and I couldn't climb back up."

Then she realized what she had said. "Oh no, oh no!" She looked up at the tower, which was very tall. "How will I get back up?"

She began to cry. Why hadn't she thought of that before she'd left the tower? She realized that the strange flustered feeling had pushed away all her reasoning. What was that feeling? She'd never felt it before yesterday.

Flynn put his arms on her shoulders. "Don't cry, Rapunzel. We'll find a way back in when the time comes. For now, why don't you enjoy being outside?"

Rapunzel smiled and wiped her tears. That was a good idea. She didn't want worry to ruin her first trip outside since she'd been adopted.


	7. Chapter 7

Rapunzel had just walked through the curtain of leaves, and she had been surprised by what she saw. The world was a lot bigger than she remembered it, probably because she didn't remember it at all.

She excitedly ran around and looked at everything, just like a little child. Flynn chuckled and smiled at her enthusiasm. They eventually came to a road, and as they walked down it, Rapunzel spotted a building.

"The Snuggly Duckling," she said, reading the sign. "Ooh, I love ducklings! Can we go in there?"

Flynn frowned. "There's some guys in there that don't like me," he said. "Why don't we continue to the town?"

Rapunzel smiled. "Okay!" She couldn't wait to see the town.

* * *

They walked for quite a while, and got to a bridge. They crossed it and Rapunzel was amazed. The town after the bridge was big and bustling, and there was even a castle! Rapunzel excitedly ran into town. She noticed that Flynn was walking silently, trying not to draw attention to himself.

"What's wrong?" she asked him.

He said, "I don't want the guys that don't like me to spot me."

Rapunzel was about to ask who the guys were when she felt herself being pulled by her hair. She looked behind her and saw horses and people walking over her hair. Quickly, she gathered up all her hair.

"I don't think I'll be able to get around very well with my long hair," she said to Flynn.

Flynn nodded. He looked around and spotted some little girls who were busy braiding each other's hair. "Rapunzel, maybe they could help you," he suggested.

Rapunzel smiled and walked over to the girls. "Can you help me with this?" she asked.

The girls gasped as they saw the long, long hair. Rapunzel kneeled down and let them start braiding her hair. They braided and braided until at last, they were finished. Now Rapunzel's hair only went down to her ankles, and it was in a complicated braid.

Rapunzel smiled and twirled around. She loved her new hairdo. Flynn smiled at her. "You look pretty," he said.

Rapunzel felt her cheeks getting hot again, and a fluttery feeling in her heart. "Thank you," she said.

Flynn smiled. He led her to a little boy selling purple flags with a sun on them. He bought one and gave it to Rapunzel. "To remember your trip by," he said.

Rapunzel smiled. "Thank you!"

* * *

Rapunzel was looking at a mosaic on the wall in the center of town. It was of a family. The mother looked kind and was holding a little brown-haired baby. For some reason, Rapunzel felt something stir in the back of her mind. She felt like she missed the mother, even though she was sure she'd never seen her before. Maybe she just reminded her of her own mother, Rapunzel decided.

Next to the mother, there was a father. Rapunzel didn't know why, but the father made her feel scared, just like when she heard the word father. She quickly looked away from him, and her eyes fell on the last person in the picture, a little girl with blonde hair that hung down to her feet. The little girl looked shy and was holding on to her mother's skirts.

Rapunzel looked over at Flynn. "Who is this family?" she asked.

Flynn looked at her funny. "You don't know?"

Rapunzel wondered if she'd done something wrong. "This is the first time I've been out of the tower since I was four," she reminded him.

"Oh yeah," said Flynn. "That's the royal family. The king and queen."

Rapunzel smiled. "And the two girls?"

Flynn smiled at her. "The baby is the princess Aster. She's not a baby anymore, I think she's fourteen."

Rapunzel's eyes were wide. "Wow, this was made a long time ago," she said. "And what's the older one's name?"

Flynn looked at her. "Her name was Sybil."

Sybil. That name, for some reason, she knew. She realized she'd heard it many years ago, back in the time she could barely remember. She must have known someone named Sybil a long time ago, she decided.

Then she realized that Flynn had said was. What had happened to Sybil? Was she not alive anymore?

"Flynn, you said her name was Sybil," Rapunzel said. "What happened to her?"

Flynn looked sad. "She disappeared one night when she was little," he said. "Nobody knows what happened, and she's never been found. Most people think she's dead."

Rapunzel felt sad. For some reason, she'd felt a connection to the girl in the picture, like she wanted to protect her.

Flynn sighed. "She would have been eighteen this year," he said. "Her birthday was a few months ago. Every year on her birthday, they let out hundreds of lanterns to remember her by."

Rapunzel smiled. "I've seen those lanterns," she said. "Not very often, only a few times when I stayed up too late. I always wondered what they were for."

Flynn smiled. "Well, now you know," he said.


	8. Chapter 8

The day continued, and Flynn showed Rapunzel all sorts of things in the town that Rapunzel was excited to see. Flynn had just bought some bread from a lady when Rapunzel pointed at a man playing a fiddle. "Ooh, what's that?"

She didn't wait for an answer, and instead started twirling around in the town square. Flynn smiled, watching her. She was very pretty. A few people began to gather, and Rapunzel took their arms and pulled them into the dance.

Flynn watched as more people joined, and soon there was a crowd of dancing people. He caught a glimpse of Rapunzel, and he felt his cheeks go red.

He couldn't be falling in love with her! He didn't deserve her at all! He was just a no-good thief, and she was a beautiful, sweet, innocent girl!

Rapunzel saw him and motioned for him to come into the dance. He shook his head. He didn't dance, and besides, he couldn't dance with Rapunzel. But as the dance went on, the feeling in his heart grew, and he couldn't make it go away.

He had to tell her how he felt! He was sure a girl like her would never want him. There. He would tell her, she would reject him, and that feeling would go away. It was settled. He took a deep breath and stepped into the dance.

* * *

The dance lasted for hours. Rapunzel was happy when she saw Flynn dancing with all the people. She danced around happily for hours. Finally, she closed her eyes and twirled until she felt someone take her hands. The music stopped suddenly, and the people began to clap. She opened her eyes and found herself in the arms of Flynn.

Her cheeks were hot again, and her heart was beating faster than normal. She smiled and looked into his eyes. Then she noticed he was leaning closer to her. She decided to lean in too.

Suddenly she noticed how late it was. The sun had almost set! She looked around frantically. How would they ever get back in time?

"Flynn, it's late!" she cried. "My mother will be worried sick! I need to get home!"

Flynn looked a little disappointed, Rapunzel saw. But he quickly said, "Of course! I lost track of the time, I'm sorry."

Rapunzel shook her head. "It was my fault. I started the dance."

Flynn smiled. "The dance was fun," he said. "Let's go before it gets dark."

* * *

Rapunzel and Flynn had been walking for a long time, and it was dark now. Rapunzel was afraid. She didn't remember ever being outside in the dark before, and it scared her. Thoughts of all the bad things that could happen to her danced in her mind.

Suddenly, she heard a rustling sound. "Flynn!" she screamed, and hid behind him. Out of the bushes jumped a rabbit.

"Don't worry, it was just a bunny," said Flynn. "Are you okay?"

Rapunzel shook her head. "I'm scared," she said.

Suddenly, she spotted a light. She looked closer, and it was the light in a building. It looked nice and friendly just sitting there, a safe place in the pitch darkness.

"Flynn, there's a house," she said. "Can we go there, please?"

Flynn smiled. "Yes, I think that would be a good idea."

Rapunzel and Flynn walked to the building. She realized it was the Snuggly Ducking, and that they were on the right path. But she didn't want to go any farther and risk getting lost, so they went inside.

Once they were inside, Rapunzel wondered if it had been a good idea. There were lots of men in there, and they didn't look friendly. She hid behind Flynn as they walked through the crowd of men.

Then, one huge man with a hook picked Flynn up by the shirt. "You're Flynn Rider," he said.

Flynn shook his head. "You're talking about my twin brother."

The man laughed. It was an ugly laugh. "You don't have no twin brother," he said. "But you do have a price over your head. And we like money, right boys?"

The rest of the men in the place made sounds of agreement.

"Go get the guards," said the hook-handed man. A short man ran out of the Snuggly Duckling.

Then the men began fighting over who would get the money. They pulled Flynn around until Rapunzel, despite her fear, yelled, "Enough!"

Everyone turned to look at her. Rapunzel was terrified, but she continued. "He is taking me home to my mother! Can't you just let him go for that amount of time? Don't you have mothers?"

The big man walked over to Rapunzel, and she shrank back, wondering what he would do. But he only said, "I have a mother."

He smiled and said, "When I was a child she would feed me and change my diaper. She always wanted what was best for me. And when I was out too late, she would give me a spanking, but she always worried for me."

The other men in the Snuggly Duckling began telling her about their mothers. Rapunzel smiled and listened to all of them.

Then it was Flynn's turn. He took a deep breath and said, "When I was a boy, I had a mother. She always cared so much for me. But then she died, and I missed her so much. She lives on in my memory."

Everyone wiped back tears. Then Rapunzel said, "I have a mother, she's always sweet and kind. But I didn't tell her that I left. She's probably at home worried sick about me, and she doesn't have any idea where I am!"

Suddenly, the door burst open. "I found the guards!" the man that had went out to get them cried.

Flynn pulled Rapunzel down, and they ducked behind a counter. Then, the man with the hook grabbed Flynn's hand and pulled the two to a secret tunnel. "Go, quickly!" he said. Then he turned to Rapunzel. "Tell your mother hi from me," he said.

"I will," said Rapunzel.

Then they went into the tunnel. The man closed the opening, and it was pitch black.


	9. Chapter 9

It was dark in the tunnel, and Rapunzel squeezed close to Flynn. They walked through the tunnel, hoping that they were going the right way.

"That was pretty amazing what you did back there," said Flynn.

Rapunzel smiled, though Flynn couldn't see it. "Really?"

Flynn smiled. "Really."

Rapunzel's heart was beating quickly again. Flynn thought she'd done something amazing! She didn't know what it was about him that made her feel that fluttery feeling, but she'd figured out that he was the only one that made her feel that way. There must have been something special about him.

They walked along in silence for a while, until Rapunzel heard a sound. "Flynn?" she asked. Suddenly she felt her feet getting wet. "Flynn!"

Flynn wrapped his arm around her. "Run!"

They ran as fast as they could, but they came to a wall. Flynn and Rapunzel felt all around, but it seemed to be a dead end.

The water was rising, and it quickly came up to Rapunzel's waist. Rapunzel screamed and looked around for an exit, but it was pitch black and she couldn't see anything. The water came up to Rapunzel's chest now, and she knew it was the end.

"We're going to die in here," she cried. "I should have never left."

There was Flynn, in the darkness, his arm still around Rapunzel. "I might as well tell you, now that it's the end," he said. "My real name is Eugene Fitzherbert."

Rapunzel smiled. "Eugene? I like it."

"You're the first one who has," he chuckled. He took a deep breath. "Rapunzel, I love you. I know you probably don't feel the same, but I just wanted to tell you before I die."

Rapunzel gasped. "Is love the feeling when your heart beats fast and your cheeks feel hot?"

"Yes," said Eugene.

Rapunzel smiled. "Then I love you too, Eugene Fitzherbert."

He put both his arms around her then, and they leaned in to each other until their lips touched. Rapunzel suddenly realized that they were kissing. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment.

The water rose to her shoulders, and they pulled apart. "I have one more secret," said Rapunzel. "It's about my hair."

Eugene smiled. "I finally get to know about your hair, and why it's so long."

Rapunzel said, "I have magic hair that glows when I sing."

"What?" Eugene cried.

Rapunzel suddenly realized what she'd said. "I have magic hair that glows when I sing!"

The water was up to her neck now. She hurriedly sang, "Flower gleam and glow, let your power shine..." She took a deep breath as the water went over her head.

Her hair lit up then, glowing brightly in the darkness. She saw that the wall had some loose rocks near the bottom, and she pointed to them. Eugene pulled the rocks apart, cutting his hand on one. Rapunzel cringed when she saw the blood. But there was in fact an opening where the rocks were, and they were pushed out by the flow of the water.

* * *

They had landed in a river. Rapunzel hair had stopped glowing, and she was frantically splashing around. She didn't know how to swim, and she was afraid that she was going to drown. Her hand latched on to something solid, and she held on until she was pulled out of the water.

"Rapunzel, are you okay?" asked a voice. It was Eugene.

Rapunzel spit out water. "I can't swim."

"Oh," said Eugene. He hugged her close. "You're alive. We're alive. Isn't it amazing?"

Rapunzel smiled. "It is," she said.

They stayed like that for a long time, not wanting to let go of each other. But then they realized that they were in an unfamiliar place in the total darkness.

Rapunzel stood up. "Eugene, what do we do?" she asked.

Eugene smiled. "Sing that song again, and I'll get firewood. Then I can make a fire," he said.

Rapunzel smiled and began singing the song again. Her hair lit up, and Eugene was able to find enough firewood and make a fire. The glow faded from Rapunzel's hair, and she sat down on a log next to the fire.

Eugene sat beside her. "So, has your hair always done that?" he asked.

She smiled. "For as long as I remember," she said. She saw his hand and said, "It doesn't just glow. Can you help me unbraid my hair? Then I can show you what else it does."

Eugene smiled and began to take out the braid. It took a while, but he was soon finished. He sat back down onto the log and said, "So what else can your hair do?"

She smiled. "Hold out your hand."

He did so, and Rapunzel got a good look at his wound. "Does it hurt?" she asked.

He tried to smile. "It's nothing."

Rapunzel shook her head. "It's not nothing," she said. She took the end of her hair and wrapped it around his hand. Then she closed her eyes and began to sing.

"Flower gleam and glow, let your power shine, make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine. Heal what has been hurt, change the fate's design, save what has been lost, bring back what once was mine, what once was mine."

She opened her eyes. The glow was just fading from her hair. She pulled it off Eugene's hand.

His eyes widened as he saw that the wound was completely gone.

"Pretty amazing, right?" asked Rapunzel. "I've had this power for as long as I can remember. But if my hair is cut, it turns brown and loses its power."

She pulled back her hair to reveal one brown lock that was very short. "Someone cut my hair when I was a baby. It never grew back."

Eugene got a funny look on his face. But when Rapunzel asked him what was wrong, he just said that they should go to sleep and that they could talk in the morning.


	10. Chapter 10

Rapunzel woke up to the sun shining on her face. She smiled and looked over at Eugene, who was still asleep. She touched him. "Wake up, Eugene. It's time for me to go home."

Eugene opened his eyes. "Rapunzel!" he said. He stood up and stretched. "Let's go!"

Rapunzel smiled and followed Eugene as they began walking. But she was confused when she saw the bridge to go back into the town. "Eugene, we're going the wrong way," she said.

Eugene looked at her. "I have to do something in town. Don't worry, it won't take long," he said.

Rapunzel smiled. "Okay, I'll come with you," she said.

* * *

Eugene walked into town with Rapunzel behind him, making sure no guards saw him. Thoughts were tumbling around in his mind. Rapunzel was the lost princess, he was sure of it. As soon as he'd seen that short brown piece of hair, he'd been sure.

The only person who had long blonde hair and a short piece of brown hair behind her ear was the lost princess. It was like a birthmark, kind of. Only the princess had it. And he couldn't let her stay lost.

He had to return Rapunzel to her family. He was sure that they would be overjoyed to see her again. And they couldn't kill him if he found their lost princess.

He stopped at the entrance to the castle. Guards surrounded it. One of them laughed. "It's Rider, come to turn himself in!"

He frowned. "I have important business to do," he said. "Let me in so I can speak to the king and queen."

They all laughed. "Sure, go on in," they said. "And take your pretty girlfriend too."

* * *

Rapunzel wondered why they were going inside the castle. She thought Eugene had to do something in town, not in the castle. But she followed him up to the biggest room in the castle, where he knocked on a door.

The door opened, and there stood the king, just as he'd looked in the mosaic. Rapunzel had the sudden urge to run as far away from him as she could. Instead, she held Eugene's arm tightly.

"Flynn Rider," the king's voice boomed. "Who let you in? Have you come to return the crown, or to turn yourself in?"

Eugene stood up straight. "I have come to return your lost princess."

The queen came to the door then, looking just like she had in the mosaic. As much as Rapunzel had wanted to run away from the king, she felt a strong longing to run to the queen and hug her.

"You found Princess Sybil?" the queen asked. She looked sad, Rapunzel realized.

Eugene nodded and pushed Rapunzel forward. Rapunzel suddenly was in the room, and she saw a third figure. It was a girl with brown hair who looked like she was fourteen. Princess Aster.

Rapunzel looked around. "I'm the lost princess?" she asked.

Suddenly she had a memory. She was three years old, and Aster had just been born. She was standing by her mother, the queen, as they showed the whole kingdom.

She smiled. "I am the lost princess!" she cried. She smiled wide. She had found her real family. Everything was going to be all right.

The queen walked over to her slowly and touched her face. A tear came out of her eye, and she hugged Rapunzel. "My daughter," she said. Then she was crying hard.

Rapunzel hugged her back. The queen was still crying, and Rapunzel felt that she wasn't crying from happiness, but sadness. She wondered why as the princess Aster came over.

"My sister," she said, and joined the hug.

The last to join the hug was her father, the king. Rapunzel smiled as she was surrounded by love.

Then the hugging stopped, and the king looked at Eugene.

"My reward," said Eugene.

The king laughed. "You'll get your reward. Guards!"

The guards ran into the room and grabbed Flynn. He looked shocked. "What's this?"

The king smiled. It wasn't a kind smile. "Just because you found my missing daughter doesn't erase the fact that you stole the crown," he said. "Your prize is the gallows." He turned to the guards. "Put him in a prison cell. He is to be hanged tomorrow."

Rapunzel screamed. "Eugene! No!"

He was led away, and Rapunzel fell to the floor in tears. Everything was not alright. The one she loved, the one who loved her, was going to die tomorrow.


	11. Chapter 11

The queen took the sobbing girl into a room where no one else was. "What's wrong, Sybil?" she asked.

Rapunzel looked at her. "They call me Rapunzel now. The man I love is going to be killed tomorrow."

The queen took her hand. "You love him."

Rapunzel nodded. "Is there anything you can do to stop him from being killed?"

The queen frowned. "No, Sybil - Rapunzel, I wish there was. But there isn't."

Rapunzel began to cry even more. The queen lifted her head up. "Crying won't do anything," she said. "Tell me, did she take good care of you?"

"She?" Rapunzel was confused.

The queen looked at her, a touch of worry on her face. "The woman that took you away. Don't you remember? She is still taking care of you, right?"

Rapunzel suddenly realized that the queen was talking about her mother. Well, her adoptive mother. "Yes," she said. Then she suddenly thought about her mother, who must have been worried sick.

"I don't know why she let you come back here, especially with the thief that you love," said the queen. "But I trust she made the right decision."

Rapunzel looked at her. "So, she didn't steal me?" Although she had thought that whenever she found out that she was the lost princess, if the queen trusted her mother, that could not have been the case.

The queen smiled. "Oh, no," she said. "You were so little, you must not remember. I let you go with her to get you away from here."

Rapunzel suddenly was afraid. "Am I in danger here?"

The queen looked sad. "You were when you were little. The woman must think you're old enough that the danger has passed, since she let you come back."

Rapunzel shook her head. "She didn't let me. I just left without letting her know where I went! She must be so worried!"

The queen's brow furrowed. "Oh dear."

Rapunzel began to cry. "I must still be in danger here. I have to get out of here!"

The queen said, "I can't let you go. If the king finds out that I've let you escape again..." She shuddered.

Rapunzel remembered all of the scared feelings she'd felt whenever she heard the word father or saw the king. Something was very wrong here, she knew. And she had a feeling that it was because of the king.

* * *

Gothel searched the tower frantically for any clues to where her flower might have gone. The day before, she had come home to an empty tower. At first she had thought that Rapunzel had been asleep, but after an hour of calling, she decided to go investigate. She had entered the tower through the secret staircase, and she had found it empty.

She had been searching for any clues as to where her daughter was in the tower for hours. She had almost given up when she pulled back a curtain and saw a painting of a face she had seen on many wanted posters, although the nose looked different.

It wasn't a very good clue, but she knew Rapunzel had never seen one of those wanted posters. She had to have seen the man himself. Flynn Rider. She hoped that where he was, she would find Rapunzel also.

* * *

Rapunzel was sitting in the castle, pleading with the king to let Eugene go. The king was not convinced by her, and he left her crying on the floor, the queen and Aster beside her.

Aster looked afraid. "Now we're going to get it," she said. "Mother, why didn't you tell her not to bother Father?"

The queen looked tired. "I did," she said. "She just won't listen to me. She really doesn't want Flynn to die."

Rapunzel looked at the queen. "His name is Eugene," she whispered.

The king burst back into the room. "Do you still want to argue?" he asked. Aster and the queen shrunk back, and Rapunzel soon learned why. The king held up a huge rolling pin.

Rapunzel felt a big pain on her wrist. She looked down at her cheek, and a nasty purple and green bruise was there. She looked down at her legs, which were filled with bruises. She looked around. The room was dark. There was the queen, holding Aster, a baby, and crying.

This was one of the memories that Rapunzel could never remember. It came back to her rapidly now, and she began to remember everything. She looked over at the wall, where one sun was drawn there. She blinked and saw the walls in her tower filled with suns. Then she saw the wall in the castle again. She was drawing the sun on the wall. The king came over and punished her.

Painful memory after memory came back to her. She cried out as she remembered. Finally, they were all gone, and she came back to the present.

She looked up at the king holding the rolling pin. Then she screamed louder than she ever had before. She screamed for Eugene. She screamed for her mother. She screamed until she couldn't scream anymore.


	12. Chapter 12

Gothel was walking around town, asking anyone who would listen where Flynn Rider was. She had not had much luck, and nobody seemed to know where he was.

But then a man told her that he'd heard that Flynn Rider had finally been arrested. And another man said he'd seen Flynn heading towards the castle with a pretty girl. Now Gothel was quite sure that Rapunzel had been with him. She only hoped that Rapunzel had not been arrested with him.

That was not the worst thing that could have happened, Gothel knew. Rapunzel could have been recognized by the king and queen. She hoped that she wasn't too late. She was heading rapidly towards the castle when she heard a loud, horrible scream.

Her first thought was that someone in the prison was being killed. But she realized that the sound was coming from the second floor of the castle. Then she recognized the scream. It was Rapunzel.

Terror filled Gothel as she realized who was screaming. What had they done to her? She raced to the castle wall and scaled it just as she had done for the four years Rapunzel had lived in the castle. She climbed into an open window and stopped. Guards were everywhere. Hiding behind curtains, she sneaked to where the screaming was coming from. It was behind closed doors.

The screaming faded away, and Gothel slipped into the room unnoticed. She saw Rapunzel on the floor and the king standing over her holding a rolling pin. Gothel shuddered as she remembered that horrible night fourteen years ago.

Before she could do anything, the king brought the rolling pin down and hit Rapunzel on the head. There was a horrible cracking sound, and Rapunzel fell to the ground. Her eyes closed.

Gothel hid behind a curtain as the king began walking towards her. He walked out the door with a proud look on his face. In that moment, Gothel detested the king even more than she had before.

Once he was gone, Gothel rushed over to Rapunzel. The queen and the other princess looked surprised to see her, but they said nothing, only stared. They were in shock from what had just happened.

Gothel knelt down and lifted Rapunzel's head to rest it in her lap. A horrible bruise had formed on Rapunzel's temple, but what worried Gothel more was that Rapunzel was unconscious.

Then the worst thing that Gothel could have imagined happened. The hair on Rapunzel's head began to turn brown slowly, starting from the roots. She was dying!

Gothel didn't just stay still and do nothing. She began to sing the magic song as quickly as she could. Her words ran together. The part of hair that was still blonde began glowing, and Gothel put it over Rapunzel. She finished singing the song, and the glow faded away.

The entire length of Rapunzel's hair turned brown. Gothel looked at her hands. They were wrinkled. She was aging quickly. Gothel let out a cry of sadness. She had failed. Her flower was gone. Rapunzel had died. And now she was dying too.


	13. Chapter 13

Rapunzel felt nothingness. Then she saw a bright light. She knew now that she had died.

But then feeling returned to her fingers. She soon felt her whole body again. And she was engulfed in a warm yellow glow.

She opened her eyes slowly. The first thing she saw was her mother's face.

"Mother?" she asked weakly.

But something was wrong. Her mother looked old, very very old. She opened her eyes all the way. It wasn't glowy anymore. She looked around. Then she saw her hair.

She gasped. Her entire length of hair, all seventy-two inches of it, was as brown as the short piece of hair on her head had always been. She touched her hair. Nothing had been cut. What had happened to her?

Then the terrible truth came to her. She had died, and her power with it. She didn't know how she had come back to life, but she had been dead.

She saw her mother, old and white. She seemed to be crumbling before her eyes. Rapunzel couldn't heal her now. Her power was gone.

But then she felt a strange feeling coming from the roots of her hair. She looked up, and her hair had begun turning blonde again! She watched in amazement as the blonde travelled down her hair. It finally reached the tips of her hair, and her entire head of hair was blonde again! She searched for the short brown piece of hair, but there was only a very short piece of blonde hair where it had been.

Rapunzel turned her attention to her mother, who looked even older than she had been a few moments before. She began singing the magic song, but her hair did not light up. She had a sudden worry that her power had not been restored.

But after a few scary moments, her hair began to glow. She smiled and sang the rest of the song. She moved a lock of her hair to her mother.

Her mother, who had been so old a few moments before, regained her youth quickly until she looked the same as she always did. The glow faded, and Rapunzel hugged her mother.

* * *

Gothel turned to the queen. "My queen," she said. "Your daughter is not safe here."

That finally broke the queen and Aster out of their shocked trance.

"What just happened?" asked Aster.

Gothel explained, "Your sister has magical healing hair. She was hit hard in the head and died. But before the magic faded away, I sang the song that lets out its power. She was healed."

Rapunzel looked at her mother. "Why did you start getting really old?"

Gothel touched her shoulder. "I am very old, much older than you think. Before you were born, I had a magical flower with the same power you have. I used it for years. But the queen fell ill, and the guards found my flower and stole it from me.

When you were born, you had the power in you. I watched over you for four years, until I saw something horrible happen to you."

Rapunzel looked at Gothel. "I remember everything," she said, her face pale. "The king was holding the rolling pin and I suddenly remembered everything."

Gothel hugged her close.

Tears began coming out of Rapunzel's eyes. "I used to not remember," she said. "But now I remember everything, and I just wish I could forget."

"Come, Rapunzel," said Gothel. "You must come home where you will be safe. I can't let you die again."

The queen looked at her. "I can't let her go," she said. "If I let her go again, the king will kill me."

Gothel said, "Tell him she died. It will be his fault, then, and he won't be able to blame you. Maybe he will even feel guilty, although I don't think people like him can feel guilt."

The queen nodded.

* * *

Rapunzel ran over to the queen and wrapped her in a bit hug. They cried together, and the queen asked, "Will I ever see you again?"

Rapunzel, crying, said, "I don't think so. I love you, Mother. Stay strong."

Then she went over to Aster and hugged her. "You've grown into a beautiful girl, sister. You will be a wonderful queen one day."

Aster smiled. "It was wonderful to finally get to meet you, Sybil. Rapunzel. I hope one day we can meet again."

They pulled apart, and Rapunzel's adoptive mother took her hand. "Are you ready to go?" she asked.

Rapunzel nodded.

They climbed out the window, and made it safely to the ground. They walked in silence out of the town. It was only when they were close to home when Rapunzel suddenly remembered.

"Eugene!" she cried.

* * *

Gothel looked at her flower. "Who is Eugene, Rapunzel?" she asked.

Rapunzel burst into tears. "Everyone else calls him Flynn. He's in prison, and they're going to hang him tomorrow!"

Gothel could not understand anything else Rapunzel said, as she was sobbing harder than ever.

"Rapunzel, why are you crying?" asked Gothel. "That man is a thief. He's been avoiding being caught for weeks, and he's finally been caught."

Rapunzel looked at her, a heartbroken expression on her face. "Mother, I love him!"


	14. Chapter 14

Eugene paced around his cell, distraught. He'd heard Rapunzel screaming what seemed like hours before, and he had not been able to do anything. He ran his hands through his hair, wondering what had happened to her.

A guard walked by the cell, and he yelled, "What happened to Rapunzel?"

The guard looked at him blankly. "Who is that?"

"The princess Sybil!" Eugene cried. "What happened to her?"

The guard suddenly looked sad. "Why would I tell you, a prisoner?" he asked.

Eugene frowned. "I brought her back," he said.

"Fair enough," said the guard. "She was pleading for the life of a prisoner named Eugene, and her father struck her on the head with a rolling pin. They tried to save her, but it was too late. She passed out on the floor. Her hair turned brown, and she died."

Eugene fell to his knees. "No!" He cried. The guard walked away, and Eugene beat the bars with his fist. Rapunzel was dead!

He should never have brought her here. He'd been selfish and uncaring. He'd wanted his freedom, and it had cost him dearly.

He closed his eyes. Rapunzel had died because of him. She had been pleading for his life. She had really loved him, and she had died for him. All he'd done was sold her out.

He slumped to the ground. He was going to die tomorrow, but that didn't matter anymore. The one he loved was gone. Soon he would join her. He hoped that the hours would pass quickly.

* * *

Rapunzel and her mother arrived at the tower. "Mother, how will we get back in?" asked Rapunzel.

Her mother smiled. "How do you think I got in when you were four years old?" She opened a secret door on the outside of the tower that Rapunzel had never known about.

"Mother, where does this lead?" asked Rapunzel.

Her mother only smiled secretively. "You will see."

Rapunzel walked in the door and saw a spiral staircase. She began to climb it, wondering why she didn't remember it. Surely she had climbed it when she was four years old. But try as she might, there was no memory of it. She stopped trying to remember. All she was getting were the painful memories of the life in the castle.

She had reached the top. Her mother, who was right behind her, pushed open a door on the ceiling. Rapunzel stepped into the familiar tower room and realized that there was a trapdoor underneath where the rug had been! All this time and she had never known.

Her mother climbed into the tower after her. She closed the door and pushed the rug over it again.

Rapunzel frowned. "Mother, what about Eugene? We have to save him!"

Her mother shook her head. "You must stay here, where you're safe. I will see what I can do."

She hugged Rapunzel, then walked to the window. "Rapunzel, could you let down your hair?"

"But the secret stairs!" Rapunzel cried.

Her mother said, "It's better for me to keep using your hair. That's the way we've always done it."

Rapunzel nodded and threw down her hair. Her mother climbed out and climbed down Rapunzel's long locks. She reached the ground and waved to Rapunzel. "I will see you soon!"

Rapunzel waved back. She closed her eyes and hoped that her mother would be successful.

* * *

Eugene had been laying on the floor for a long time, hoping his death would come quickly. Suddenly, he heard a whispering sound.

He looked up and saw a woman standing outside his cell.

"Are you Eugene?" she asked.

How did she know that name? He had only told it to Rapunzel.

"What's it to you?" he asked.

The woman smiled. "Someone that cares about you very much is looking for you."

He was confused. Nobody living cared about him. But he answered, "Yes, I'm Eugene." He didn't have anything to lose.

"I am Rapunzel's mother," said the woman.

Now he was very confused. "You're not the queen," he said.

The woman said, "I'm not that mother. I am the one who raised her in the tower."

Eugene was suddenly angry. "You kidnapped her!" he cried.

The woman shook her head. "No. I took her to keep her safe. The king is not a good man. It is a wonder that the princess Aster is still alive after fourteen years here."

Eugene shivered, thinking about what the guard had told him.

"Well, what do you want with me?" he asked.

The woman smiled. "My daughter loves you. She wants you to live."

"Loved," corrected Eugene. "She died. I'm sorry."

The woman frowned. "So the news has reached you." She looked into his eyes. "She is alive, Eugene. Trust me. She wants you to come back with me."

Eugene shook his head. "I'm a dead man. Tomorrow I die. There's no escaping this cell."

The woman pulled something out of her cloak. Eugene saw the silver flash of a key. "Come with me," she said.

Eugene nodded and waited for her to turn the key. The prison bars swung open, and he stepped out.

The woman closed the door quietly, then melted into the shadows. Eugene followed her out of the prison. They were soon out of the castle, and back into sunlight. Eugene wondered why he was trusting this woman. But he really had nothing to lose, he decided. If Rapunzel was really alive, he would get to be with her. And if not, he was going to die anyway.


	15. Chapter 15

Rapunzel had been waiting for a long time at the window. She was worried about her mother and Eugene. Her mind was making up all sorts of trouble they could be in. Had her mother even reached Eugene? Had they caught her letting him out, and they were both in prison? Had he already died?

She squeezed her eyes shut and willed herself to stop worrying. But without the worry to distract her, the bad memories started coming. She was breathing hard and trying to shut everything out when she heard a sound.

She opened her eyes. Her mother was coming through the leaf curtain that hid the entrance to the valley. She walked through, and behind her came Eugene!

"Eugene!" she cried. He looked up at her and let out a happy cry. He ran to the tower and called, "Rapunzel, let down your hair!"

Rapunzel threw her hair down, and he climbed it quickly. He climbed into the window and hugged Rapunzel tightly. She hugged him back.

"I thought you died!" he said.

Rapunzel tried to hold back her tears. "I thought you were going to."

"I was," he said. "Your mother rescued me."

Rapunzel smiled. "And I did die," she said.

Eugene looked at her. "But you're right here," he said.

"My father killed me," said Rapunzel. "But before my hair lost all its power, my mother sang the magic song, and I was healed."

Eugene touched her hair. "What does it feel like, being dead?" he asked.

Rapunzel smiled. "At first it feels like nothingness," she said. "Then a bright light appeared. But I wasn't dead for very long, and I didn't get to reach the light."

Eugene hugged her again. "I'm glad you didn't," he said. "I love you so much."

* * *

The days passed quickly for Rapunzel and Eugene. They were happy being together. Each day, their love for each other grew stronger. And one day, Rapunzel said to her mother, "I love Eugene so very much. I feel like we need to do something special. Mother, when two people love each other so much, is there something that they do to show that?"

Her mother smiled. "When two people love each other very much, and they feel like they are the right people for each other, they get married." She looked at Rapunzel. "Do you think Eugene is the right person? Do you want to stay with him forever?"

Rapunzel nodded. "He's the only one who makes me feel like I'm floating on air, like my heart is going to burst. I love him."

Her mother put her hands on her shoulders. "Then tell him that. When he is ready, he will ask to marry you."

* * *

A few weeks later, Eugene came to Rapunzel's mother. "Ma'am," he said, very flustered, "I would like to marry your daughter."

Gothel smiled. "I think she feels the same," she said.

Eugene looked down. "I don't have a ring for her," he said. He scratched his head nervously. "Can I ask the favor..."

"I will go to town and get a ring for you," said Gothel.

* * *

Eugene waited impatiently at the window. He couldn't wait for her to return. Rapunzel sat down beside him. "What's got you so impatient?" she asked.

He couldn't ruin the surprise. "Oh, it's nothing," he said. He turned to Rapunzel and looked into her eyes. She was so beautiful, and sweet, and kind. She was perfect. He brushed a wisp of her hair aside.

She smiled at him, her cheeks pink. She was very much in love, and Eugene could tell. He felt his cheeks getting hot too. He pulled her close. "I love you," he said.

She smiled. Without warning, she suddenly leaned forward and kissed him. At first he was shocked, but he soon closed his eyes and enjoyed the kiss. He put his hand on her back, and they kissed for a long time.

Then a voice broke into the moment. "I'm back!" Both of them looked down. There was Gothel, home from town.

Rapunzel looked mildly annoyed that their special moment had been broken into, but Eugene felt his heart begin to pound. She was back with the ring. Already his palms began to sweat. He would soon be proposing to Rapunzel. What if she said no?

He couldn't begin to think of that. She would not say no. They loved each other too much.

Rapunzel was pulling her mother up now. In a second she had come in the window. "I'm sorry to bother you two lovebirds," she said. Rapunzel turned red and ran her hands through her hair.

"I need to speak to Eugene for a moment," said Gothel. Rapunzel looked at him curiously, but he offered no explanation and went with Gothel into her room.

She produced a red velvet box and opened it. Inside was the ring. It was a gold band with three diamonds on top. It was beautiful, and Eugene knew Rapunzel would love it.

Gothel gave it to Eugene, and he put it in his pocket. He had to find the right moment to propose. Nervously he smoothed down his hair.

* * *

Finally, the perfect moment came. The sun was setting, and Rapunzel was sitting on the windowsill looking out at it. The orange light shone through her hair and on her skin, making her look even more beautiful.

He got down on his knee and cleared his throat. Rapunzel turned her head to look at him.

* * *

Rapunzel looked at Eugene, wondering what was going on. He was down on one knee, and he looked very, very nervous. She watched as he pulled a red box out of his pocket and opened it, showing her what was inside. It was a golden band with three diamonds on it.

He said, "Rapunzel, will you marry me?"

A huge smile lit her face. "Yes!" she cried, and jumped off the windowsill into his arms. He smiled widely and slipped the ring onto her finger. Then they kissed for the second time that day as the sun set behind them.


	16. Chapter 16

The last few months had been filled with preparation. Gothel had taken both Eugene and Rapunzel's measurements and had gone to a shop to get their dress and suit made. Rapunzel and Eugene had cleaned the front room of the tower until it shone. Rapunzel had pulled open the curtain that was covering a part of the wall and had painted a picture of she and Eugene together.

She'd been baking nonstop too. Cookies, pies, tarts, everything you could think of. The one thing she didn't bake was the cake. Though she had wanted to at first, her mother had said that the cake was special and that she would bake it.

Rapunzel had also sewn a tiny suit for Pascal, the only guest that would be at the wedding. She'd wished that she could have invited the queen, Aster, the little girls who had braided her hair once, and all the men from the Snuggly Duckling. But it was too dangerous to let anyone else come to the tower, and she and Eugene both couldn't go into town.

It was okay, though. It was only a minor inconvenience, and what she really couldn't wait for was to be bonded to Eugene forever.

A few days before the wedding, Rapunzel took a very long shower. She wasn't able to shower very often normally, as her hair took nearly a day to dry.

Her hair finally dried, and her mother brushed it out while Rapunzel sang the magic song. Rapunzel loved the feeling of her hair being brushed, though it could take hours. After the brushing, her mother braided a little bit of her hair so that she had two thin braids resting on top of the rest of her long locks.

The day before the wedding, Gothel went to town and bought two matching diamond rings. She gave one to Eugene and one to Rapunzel.

"Mother, what is this for?" asked Rapunzel.

Gothel said, "When you get married, you will put the ring on Eugene's finger, and he will put one on yours," she said.

Rapunzel smiled. She could not wait for the day to come.

* * *

Finally, it was the day of the wedding. Gothel didn't allow them in the kitchen for the whole morning, as she was making the wedding cake. Rapunzel and Eugene sat in Rapunzel's room, waiting for the cake to be done.

Rapunzel couldn't stop smiling. She had waited for months for this day, and it finally had come. Eugene, on the other hand, was feeling nervous. He had waited for a long time to be with the girl he loved, and he wanted the day to go perfectly.

They sat across from each other, not saying a word. Rapunzel fingered her engagement ring, thinking about the ring she had hidden in her room that she would give to Eugene when the wedding happened.

Finally, they were allowed into the kitchen. The cake was done. Rapunzel gasped as she saw it. It was beautiful, a white cake in the shape of a tower. It was intricately detailed, and there were many white flowers made of fondant at the base of the tower cake.

On the windowsill of the tower stood a tiny bride and groom. The bride's hair was as long as the tower was tall, and Rapunzel knew it was supposed to be her.

The cake was beautiful, and Rapunzel squeezed Eugene's hand. They looked at each other happily.

"Oh, Mother, it's beautiful," Rapunzel breathed. Her mother smiled. "Only the best for my beloved daughter," she said. "Now, I have to go out one last time, and then everything will be ready."

Rapunzel smiled and threw her hair out the window. Her mother climbed down, and Rapunzel and Eugene were left in the tower together.

"So, what are you thinking?" Eugene asked.

Rapunzel looked at him and smiled. "I just can't wait for the wedding. Won't it be wonderful?"

Eugene nodded. "It sure will, Rapunzel. I'm so happy you are finally going to be my wife."

Rapunzel hugged him. "I love you so much, Eugene."

He kissed the top of her head. "I love you even more, Rapunzel."

* * *

Gothel returned soon, carrying something big in her cloak. She would not show Rapunzel or Eugene what it was, and instead went into her room and closed the door. She came out a while later, and took Rapunzel into her room.

She closed the door once they were both inside, and pulled a beautiful dress out of her cloak. It was a little squished, but she straightened it out. Rapunzel walked over to the dress in wonder.

"It's so beautiful," she said. "Is it for me?"

"Yes," said her mother. Rapunzel smiled and took off the dress she was wearing. Then she stepped into the beautiful dress, gasping at it's softness.

It was a pearly white color, and it fit Rapunzel perfectly. It had an off-the-shoulder neckline, and was covered in sparkly white sequins. The bottom of it flared out like a ballgown, and it went all the way to the floor. It was covered in white sparkles, and Rapunzel thought it was the most beautiful dress she had ever seen.

Then, her mother put a veil over Rapunzel's head. It was light and made out of a thin material, and it reached to Rapunzel's waist. Her hair was much longer than the veil. It was also covered in sparkles. Rapunzel twirled around. "I feel beautiful!"

"You are beautiful," said her mother. "Now, where did you put the ring I gave you?"

Rapunzel opened the drawer of her dresser and pulled it out. Her mother took it and said, "Now stay in here until I tell you to come out."

Rapunzel sat down on her bed. Her mother walked out of the room, and Rapunzel had to wait.

Gothel went into her room again, and brought out a black suit for Eugene. It was very smart looking, and it had a red rose in its lapel. She went back into her room to give Eugene some privacy while he changed into the suit.

When he had it on, he looked in the mirror. He was surprised by what he saw. No more did he look rough and rugged. Every hair on his head was in place, and he adjusted his tie with shaking hands. Now he looked perfect, fit to marry the perfect girl.

Gothel walked out of her room again, carrying a pillow and a bunch of lilies. She placed the pillow on a stool and placed a ring on top of it. While she decorated the tower with the lilies, Eugene found his ring and placed it on the pillow next to the other ring.

Soon the tower was filled with flowers. Gothel went back into her room and took something out. Then she went to Rapunzel's room and closed the door.

She gave a bouquet of white lilies to Rapunzel. Rapunzel took them and smiled. Then her mother held Rapunzel's arm, and they walked out of the room together.

* * *

Eugene stood at the front of the tower room. Everything was perfect. And then the door of Rapunzel's room came open, and Rapunzel walked out arm in arm with her mother.

She was breathtaking in her wedding dress, and Eugene saw that she was very happy. A beautiful smile was on her face, which was partly hidden by her veil. Eugene was smiling too as she walked closer to him.

The only guest, Pascal, was hanging on the wall with his little suit on. Eugene's bride was coming closer to him. It was the perfect moment.

Rapunzel reached Eugene, and they stood together while her mother stood behind them. The sun shone on the two, and it was a magical moment. Then, Rapunzel's mother spoke.

"Eugene, do you take this woman as your lawfully wedded wife?"

Eugene smiled. "I do," he said, looking into Rapunzel's eyes.

Rapunzel's mother spoke again. "Rapunzel, do you take this man as your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do," said Rapunzel, a sweet smile on her face.

Rapunzel and Eugene joined hands as Rapunzel's mother went and got the pillow with the rings. She picked it up and held it out to the couple. Eugene took his ring and slipped it onto Rapunzel's slender ring finger. Then Rapunzel took her ring and slipped it onto Eugene's ring finger.

They smiled at each other while Rapunzel's mother said, "I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Eugene put his arms around Rapunzel's waist and kissed her. They closed their eyes and kissed for a long time, longer than any of their kisses before. The sunshine was still shining through the window, giving everything a yellow glow. Rapunzel and Eugene's rings sparkled in the light, and it was the perfect end to the perfect ceremony.

* * *

After they were wed, it was time for the celebration. Rapunzel thought that the wedding cake was too beautiful to eat, but her mother cut the cake anyway, and each of them had a slice.

It tasted as delicious as it looked, fluffy and sugary and white. Rapunzel and Eugene loved it. They ate more of the things Rapunzel had baked, until Rapunzel was sure that she wouldn't be able to take her dress off. Soon, the evening came.

Rapunzel's mother left the tower, saying that she would give them at least a week together in the tower before she came back. Pascal, who Rapunzel had taken the suit off of, went somewhere outside of the tower too. Now Rapunzel and Eugene were left alone together in the tower.

Rapunzel was completely happy. Now she was with the man she loved, her husband, forever. They were now bonded together, and nothing could break them apart.

They were both tired, and she was ready to go to bed. Suddenly, Eugene picked her up and carried her into her room.

"What are you doing, Eugene?" she asked sweetly.

Eugene smiled. "It's a custom, when you are just married, to carry your bride into your home."

Rapunzel looked at him, confused. "But Eugene, this is my room."

Eugene said, "When two people are married, they usually sleep in the same room, in the same bed."

Rapunzel smiled as Eugene set her down on her bed. No, it was their bed now. She was very happy.

They both undressed and got into bed. It had been the perfect day, and it was the perfect night, Rapunzel thought. She snuggled up to Eugene and closed her eyes.


	17. Chapter 17

Rapunzel and Eugene had a wonderful week together alone in their tower. It was a week filled with love, and they never wanted it to end. They could not count how many kisses they had shared that week, though none were as long and wonderful as the kiss they had shared at the wedding. That had been the best kiss.

All too soon, it was the last night of the week. Rapunzel and Eugene were sad to see it end, but they knew that there would be many more days to come that would be just as wonderful.

That night, they fell asleep right after they got into bed. All was peaceful and quiet until the middle of the night.

Rapunzel had woken up screaming. Her screams awoke Eugene, and he frantically looked around for Rapunzel. He found her in the bed and put his arms on her shoulders. "Rapunzel! Rapunzel are you okay?"

Rapunzel stopped screaming and laid her head on Eugene's chest. She began sobbing uncontrollably. Eugene stroked her hair. "Rapunzel, what's wrong?"

She could barely get the words out, she was crying so hard. "I... I had a terrible dream," she said.

Eugene let out a sigh of relief. She wasn't hurt. "What was it about?" he asked.

She began to cry harder. "It was about wh-when I was young," she said. "My father the king forced my mother the queen to hit me with a rolling pin. That was the night Mother took me away from that." She cried even harder. "I-I wish I could just forget!" Then she dissolved into a pile of tears.

Eugene held her close. He wrapped his strong arms around her. "We can't change the past," he said. "But you're safe now, with me. I won't ever let you get hurt like that again."

Rapunzel looked up at him with her teary eyes. She felt a lot better now. "Thank you, Eugene," she said. "I love you."

Eugene touched her cheek. "I love you too, Rapunzel."

Rapunzel smiled and laid her head on his shoulder. Her breathing slowed, and she had soon fallen asleep in his arms.

* * *

The week was over, and Gothel returned, as did Pascal. Life became sort of a rhythm. Gothel, knowing that Rapunzel and Eugene wanted lots of time for just the two of them, left the tower often and only returned when she absolutely had to. Rapunzel and Eugene adored each other, and they were very happy.

Then one day, Rapunzel noticed that her belly had gotten bigger and that she couldn't fit in her dress very well anymore. She was worried something was wrong with her, and talked to Eugene about it.

But Eugene was very excited when he heard that. "There's nothing wrong," he said. "I think you are going to have a baby."

Rapunzel was filled with joy. She told her mother when she came back, and all three rejoiced together.

The months went on, and Rapunzel kept getting bigger. She wondered when the baby would decide that it was big enough.

One night, Rapunzel awoke to a terrible pain. She cried out for Eugene and her mother. They told her that it was time. The baby was being born!

After several hours of agony, the baby was finally out. Rapunzel, tired as she was, held the little baby. She smiled at the tiny little fingers and toes. The baby had bright brown eyes and soft blonde hair. She touched the baby's tiny nose. It was a little boy.

Rapunzel was a wonderful mother. She had learned from the best. And Eugene was a great father. As the years passed, they were blessed by many more little boys and girls. They were truly a happy family, and, like all happy stories end, they lived happily ever after.


End file.
